This application claims the priority of German Application No. 10 2004 011 932.5, filed Mar. 11, 2004, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a toy vehicle having an electric drive, for example, a toy vehicle that operates on a race track. Such a toy vehicle has a chassis having a rear-axle unit, including an electric motor, and a front-axle unit.
From U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,824 B2, a vehicle concept for play purposes is known, by which a series of different vehicles—coupes, pick-up trucks or the like—can be reproduced. This vehicle concept comprises several elements, specifically, a center part, a rear-axle unit and a front-axle unit. Between the above-mentioned elements, holding devices are provided, which are constructed in the manner of snap connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,150 relates to a drivable toy vehicle having a rear-axle unit and a front-axle unit, which bound a center part. The rear-axle unit comprises a rear axle with wheels and an electric motor. For driving the rear wheels, a transmission is provided, which is formed by gearwheels. The front axle unit has a carrying body to which wheels are fastened by means of links.
It is an object of the invention to create a chassis having a front-axle unit and a rear-axle unit for a toy vehicle, which chassis is distinguished by a simple, but highly effective, type of construction. However, it should also be ensured in this case that the chassis is suitable for various superstructures for which different wheelbases are required on the chassis.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing a toy vehicle having a chassis having a rear-axle unit, including an electric motor, and a front-axle unit. The chassis has a center frame part that extends between the rear-axle unit carrying the electric motor and the front-axle unit. The center frame part, the rear-axle unit and the front-axle unit are held in position The rear-axle unit and the front-axle unit are constructed in the manner of modules. Additional characteristics further developing the invention are described and claimed herein.
An advantage of the present invention is that the chassis with its rear-axle unit, its front-axle unit and the center frame device represents an exemplary and easily implementable construction. This is also promoted by the fact that the rear-axle unit and the front-axle unit are constructed as modules, which are fastened to the chassis by way of constructionally simple devices. The center frame device has a base frame and a receiving frame for the rear-axle unit and the front-axle unit. In this case, the base frame and the receiving frame are constructed such that, depending on the length of the base frame—viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle—a defined wheelbase is obtained between the rear wheels of the rear-axle unit and the front wheels of the front-axle unit. As a result of this construction, while the receiving frame of the rear-axle unit and of the front-axle unit are maintained—use of identical parts—vehicle bodies of different sizes can be combined with a corresponding wheelbase.
A front-axle support of the front-axle unit, which has parallel side members, extends to the receiving frame, in which side members threaded bores are provided for the targeted connection of the front-axle unit with the base frame. Finally, by means of a plug-type connection, the rear-axle unit is connected with the receiving frame of the center frame device, which plug-type connection is distinguished by a neatly designed construction principle and can have a defined elasticity. By means of the latter, driving-dynamic effects of the toy vehicle can be implemented.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.